About Judy Chicago

Synonymous with early feminist art, Judy Chicago has been challenging the male-dominated art world since the 1970s. Her characteristically colorful body of work includes paintings, tapestries, sculpture, and mixed-media installations celebrating women’s achievements. Chicago legally assumed the name of her hometown after becoming a widow at the age of 23, symbolizing her lifelong struggle with identity, which she chronicles in Through the Flower: My Struggle as a Woman Artist (1975). In homage to 1,038 women central to the history of Western civilization, Chicago’s most celebrated work, The Dinner Party (1974-79), exemplifies her ongoing endeavor as an artist, educator, and author to elevate women from the margins of society and history. The work—on permanent display at The Brooklyn Museum—features 39 place settings meant to represent famous women from history, from Joan of Arc to Emily Dickinson, with a further 999 names inscribed on the floor.